1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to toy train tracks, and more particularly to track sections having improved joining means at the ends thereof for releasably securing adjoining track sections together.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is known in the prior art, of which U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,142,150 and 2,207,171 are exemplary, to provide a toy train track in which the track sections are joined together. The joining means comprises pins extending longitudinally from the ends of the rails of one track section and insertable into complementary recesses in the ends of the rails of an adjoining section.
In U.S. Pat. No. 1,142,150, one of the end portions has a longitudinally extending projection of rectangular cross section insertable into a complementary recess in the adjoining track section. The latter projection further has an inclined spring finger which is cammed downwardly by a wall of the recess upon insertion of the projection into the recess. When the projection is fully inserted into the recess, the spring finger springs upwardly into a registering notch in the wall of the recess for releasably holding the track sections together.
In U.S. Pat. No. 2,207,171, one of the track sections has a cross tie provided with a slot having a wide end and a narrow end. The adjoining track section has a pivotal arm provided with a depending lip which is insertable through the wide end of the slot after the pins have been fully inserted into the recesses. The arm is then manually pivoted sliding the lip into the narrow end of the slot where the lip is held captive. The arm, lip and slot provide a latch for releasably latching the track sections in their interlocked or joined position.
One of the disadvantages of the joining means of U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,142,150 and 2,207,171 is that two separate manual operations have to be performed in order to separate the joined track sections. Firstly, the latch has to be released by depressing the spring finger in U.S. Pat. No. 1,142,150, or pivoting the arm in U.S. Pat. No. 2,207,171. Secondly, the two sections are pulled apart. A more serious disadvantage of the joining means of U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,142,150 and 2,207,171 is the sharp projections extending from the rails which can cause serious injury to children playing with the train track. This is particularly so if the track sections are carelessly swung around during play as young children are prone to do.
A further disadvantage of the joining means of U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,142,150 and 2,207,171 is that the pins have to be of a small diameter. Consequently, these pins are easily bent and broken under the rough handling they are normally subjected to.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,711,857 teaches a joining means for track sections in which one of the end portions of a track section has a pair of longitudinally extending flexible fingers defining a V-shaped slot terminating in a circular recess. The complementary adjoining end portion of a track section has a recess into which the flexible fingers are urged. A depending circular boss extending into the recess engages the inner surfaces of the flexible fingers and cams them outwardly as the boss passes through the V-shaped slot and nests in the circular recess. Upon nesting of the boss, the spring fingers return to their normal unflexed condition for releasably latching the track sections together.
A disadvantage of the joining means of all of the aforementioned prior art joining means is that such joining means can only be released by pulling the track sections apart. Accordingly, if turning, pivoting or bending forces are applied to the joined track sections by, for example, a child stepping or jumping on the joining means of the track sections, or manually turning, pivoting or bending the track sections as children are prone to do, portions of the track sections will break.
A toy auto raceway track is also known in which the joining means comprises longitudinally extending projections and recesses on one end portion of a track section insertable into complementary recesses and projections on the complementary end portion. The recesses have an inclined surface, at least some of which have a cam rib. When the end portions are pushed together, each cam rib cams a lip on the complementary projection into engagement with a flexible spring steel strip, and then enters a complementary notch in the projection. Each rib is held in its notch by the flexed spring strip for releasably securing the end portions together.
One disadvantage of the raceway track joining means is that the interacting complementary projections and recesses do not automatically align the track end portions in a horizontal direction. In addition, this prior art joining means does not resist separation when the track sections are twisted along their longitudinal axis, nor does it resist vertical shear at the joining means.